''Level 42'' is the debut album released in August

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...

by the British group

Level 42 Level 42 are an English jazz-funk band formed on the Isle of Wight in 1979. They had a number of UK and worldwide hits during the 1980s and 1990s. Their highest-charting single in the UK was " Lessons in Love", which reached number three on th ...

. It is best known for the track "Love Games", which became a successful jazz–funk and dancefloor hit for the band (reaching number 38 on the UK singles chart). It has figured in both L42's and bassist Mark King's solo live appearances to this day. Also gaining substantial dance airplay on both sides of the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

was the track "Starchild", with Lindup on vocals. The second single, "

Turn it On ''Turn It On'' is the third studio album released by Boyzone frontman and Irish singer-songwriter Ronan Keating. The album was released on 17 November 2003, a week after the release of the lead single, " Lost for Words". The album became the ...

", released in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, peaked at #47 in the UK single charts. The third single, "Starchild", has been released in six countries beyond the United Kingdom (peak position: #57), including the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

,The Definitive Online Level 42 Collectors Resource: Media
/ref> where it entered the

Club Play Singles The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...

at #60. In 2001, it was re-released by the label Peppermint Jam Records in the United Kingdom and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Track listing

*Original Vinyl LP (Polydor 2383 612) #"

Turn It On ''Turn It On'' is the third studio album released by Boyzone frontman and Irish singer-songwriter Ronan Keating. The album was released on 17 November 2003, a week after the release of the lead single, " Lost for Words". The album became the ...

" (Badarou, Gould, Gould, King) – 4:42 #"43" (King) – 7:04 #"Why Are You Leaving?" (Gould, Lindup) – 4:36 #"Almost There" (Gould, Gould, King) – 5:45 #"Heathrow" (Badarou) – 4:43 #" Love Games" (Gould, King) – 5:20 #"Dune Tune" (King) – 4:52 #" Starchild" (Badarou, Gould, King) – 5:58 *First CD Pressing (Polydor 821 935-2) ''(On the first CD pressing, the album versions of "Turn It On", "Love Games" and "Starchild" were replaced with the extended versions. Later pressings and reissues contain the original album versions.)'' #"Turn It On" (Badarou, Gould, Gould, King) – 5:36 #"43" (King) – 7:02 #"Why Are You Leaving?" (Gould, Lindup) – 4:34 #"Almost There" (Gould, Gould, King) – 5:42 #"Heathrow" (Badarou) – 4:43 #" Love Games" (Gould, King) – 7:25 #"Dune Tune" (King) – 4:50 #" Starchild" (Badarou, Gould, King) – 6:41 *2000 reissue bonus tracks #Forty-Two (Gould, Gould, King, Lindup) – 6:39 #Beezer One (Badarou, King, Gould, Lindup, Gould) – 7:09 #Foundation & Empire (King) – 8:27 #Dune Tune (live) (King) – 5:03 #Goodbye Ray Schmidt-Volk – 2:07 *2007 reissue bonus tracks #Heathrow (Live, Regal Theatre, Hitchin 1983) #Turn It On (Live, Regal Theatre, Hitchin 1983) #Starchild (Long Version) #Love Games (Live, Ryde Theatre, Isle Of Wight 2000) #Why Are You Leaving? (Live Ryde Theatre, Isle Of Wight 2000)

Personnel

Level 42 * Mark King – bass, percussion, vocals (lead vocals on 'Turn It On', "Why Are You Leaving", "Almost There" & "Love Games") * Mike Lindup –

Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popul ...

, acoustic piano, electric piano, percussion, vocals (lead vocals on "Starchild", chorus lead vocals on "Turn it On" & "Almost There", bridge lead vocals on "Love Games") * Boon Gould – guitars * Phil Gould – drums, percussion,

glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( ; or , : bells and : play) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a Musical keyboard, keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the v ...

timbales Timbales () or pailas are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing. They are shallower than single-headed tom-toms and usually tuned much higher, especially for their size.Orovio, Helio 1981. ''Diccionario de la música cubana: biográfic ...

, backing vocals with: *

Wally Badarou Waliou Jacques Daniel Isheola "Wally" Badarou (born 22 March 1955) is a French musician. Born in France with ancestry from Benin, West Africa, Badarou is known for his close association with the English group Level 42, and for his prolific wor ...

–

Prophet-5 The Prophet-5 is an analog synthesizer manufactured by the American company Sequential (company), Sequential. It was designed by Dave Smith (engineer), Dave Smith and John S. Bowen (sound designer), John Bowen in 1977. It was the first Polyphony ...

, Korg Polyphonic,

, vocalizing (courtesy

Barclay Records Barclay is a French Universal Music Group record label, originally owned by Eddie Barclay in 1953. Barclay previously established Riviera-LM Records in 1951. Eddie was a bandleader, pianist, producer and nightclub owner. With his wife and voc ...

) *

Leroy Williams Leroy Williams (February 3, 1937 – June 1, 2022) was an American drummer, mostly known for his work in jazz. Williams first began playing drums as a teenager in the 1950s. From 1959 to the middle of the 1960s he played with singer Judy Roberts ...

– congas, bongos, percussion *

Gary Barnacle Gary Barnacle (born 1959) is an English saxophonist, flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer, and producer. Barnacle is primarily noted for his session work and live work, including various Prince's Trust concerts at Wembley Arena, th ...

– electric saxophone solo on "Heathrow" * Dave Chambers – tenor saxophone solo on "Why Are You Leaving" 2007 Re-issue: * Lyndon Connah – keyboards & vocals (Tracks 4 & 5) * Nathan King – guitars & vocals (Tracks 4 & 5) *

Gary Husband Gary Husband (born 14 June 1960) is an English jazz and rock drummer, pianist, keyboard player and bandleader. He is also a composer, arranger, producer and educator. Husband was a member for 16 years of John McLaughlin's group The 4th Dimen ...

– drums (Tracks 4 & 5) * Sean Freeman – saxophone & vocals (Tracks 4 & 5)

Production

* Mike Vernon – producer * Dick Plant – engineer * Gregg Jackman – assistant engineer * Richard Lengyel – assistant engineer * John Rule – assistant engineer * Tom Coyne – mastering * Joe Bartling – illustration 2007 Re-issue: * Gary Moore – remastering * Charles Brockbank – design * Paul Fernandez – illustration * Paul Sexton – liner notes

Charts

Album charts

Single charts

Sales and certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Level 42 (Album) Level 42 albums 1981 debut albums Albums produced by Mike Vernon (record producer) Polydor Records albums Albums recorded at RAK Studios